When people hear the word “sport,” they typically picture a physical activity that requires intense exertion. They might think of the feeling of sweat and exhaustion, or they may ponder how hard it was to complete a certain race or event. People often associate sports with an active lifestyle, but the precise definition of sport is contested by scholars and practitioners.
Generally, the term “sport” refers to any form of organized competition that utilizes competitive, skill-based activities. It encompasses both leisure and recreation as well as elite competition. Some forms of sports, such as athletics and cycling, have a clear set of rules that determine their competitiveness. Others, such as swimming or gymnastics, are based on subjective evaluations of performance. Still, other forms of competition, such as golf and billiards, do not use the same objective criteria that characterize other sports.
Although no one can say exactly when sports first began, it is certain that they are a highly distinctive part of human culture. For example, early art shows children spontaneously engaging in running races and wrestling. Hunting also became a distinct type of sport in prehistoric societies.
As a result, the 20th century saw a broad social as well as spatial expansion of sports. After a long and sometimes bitter struggle, African Americans, Australian Aboriginal people, “Cape Coloureds,” and other formerly excluded racial and ethnic groups won the right to participate in sports that had been dominated by white athletes. slot88
